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Public ‘back’ taxes to tackle single-use plastic waste

The UK Treasury consultation on how taxes could address the problem of plastic waste and promote recycling received an unprecedented 162,000 responses, the highest in the Treasury’s history, reflecting the intense interest of the UK citizens and businesses. The Treasury said “it wanted to promote the greater use of recycled plastic in manufacturing, discourage plastics that are difficult to recycle – like carbon black plastic – and reduce demand for single-use items, including coffee cups and takeaway boxes”. This announcement follows the action by the French Government to introduce taxes on virgin plastics (10%) and none on recycled materials. Solutions for the issues of black plastics and post consumer pots tubs and trays are already available and it seems taxes might be the way to make them finally happen. What other options are there?